The body of a man believed to be in his 60s has been found after a fire in Leven.
He was already dead when emergency services arrived at a flat on BairdCrescent on Tuesday. His identity has not been confirmed.
Police Scotland, which is investigating the cause of the morning blaze with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, said it appeared to have been an accident.
Neighbours spoke of their shock.
Wayne McCann, 23, and partnerVicky Clark, 24, raised the alarmafter smelling smoke and hearing an alarm.
An upstairs neighbour alerted by her barking dog had tried the door handle and said it was roasting hot.
Mr McCann said: “I looked in thewindow and it was pitch black.
“I went to the front door and opened the letter box and smoke came out.After that I phoned the brigade.”
The couple, who moved on to the street a few months ago and did not know the victim’s name, said they were shaken.
Miss Clark said: “He always had his door open.He liked to see who was going past and he always said ‘hello’.
“We didn’t know the man but our heart goes out to him.”
Kyle Hardstaff andBrogan Thomson, both 19, who moved into theadjoining downstairs flat only a fortnight ago, were woken by police banging on their door and evacuated the building.
Miss Thomson said: “It’s a bit of a shock.We normally hear his radio or his television but we never heard anything yesterday.”
The couple did not know their neighbour’s name either but Mr Hardstaff said: “He was a friendly guy.I’d speak to him as I walked past and he would say ‘hello’.”
Four firefighters equipped with breathing apparatus entered the flat and extinguished the fire in the living room.
A spokesman for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: “We received a 999 call at 11.09am reporting a fire in Baird Crescent, Leven.
“Operations Control Thornton immediately mobilised two appliances from Methil and oneappliance from Glenrothes Community Fire Station.
Police Scotland said inquiries were continuing to establish the victim’sidentity.It said it appearedthe blaze was anaccident, with nosuspicious circumstances.